In the above-described ticket machine, a plurality of illuminated button switches that indicate fares to respective destinations is provided on a mounting panel, and when one of the pushbutton switches is pressed, the machine issues a ticket which is printed with an amount of money corresponding to the pressed switch.
In general, a multiplicity of pushbutton switches is arrayed on a mounting panel in a line longitudinally, laterally or in both the longitudinal and lateral directions thereof. More specifically, the pushbutton switches are mounted within respective openings provided in the mounting panel in such a manner that the fare indicating surfaces are exposed to the outside. Accordingly, the mounting panel must be provided with a number of openings which corresponds to the number of pushbutton switches required. In the case where the pushbutton switches are arrayed in a line, it is better from the viewpoint of machining to provide a large opening in the panel and to fit a plurality of aligned pushbutton switches into the opening.
In such a case, as shown in FIG. 9, each of the barriers 31 (32) is interposed between each pair of adjacent pushbutton switches A in order to partition off them from each other.
There are two types of barrier, i.e.: a first type of barrier 31 (shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B) in which, after the pushbutton switches A have been fitted into the mounting opening in the mounting panel, the barriers 31 are inserted between the pushbutton switches A from the front side of the panel, and a second type of barrier 32 (shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B) in which the barriers 32 are previously attached to the respective pushbutton switches A in one unit and this pushbutton switch assembly is secured to the mounting panel.
In the first type of barrier 31, after the pushbutton switches have been fitted into the mounting opening, the barriers 31 are inserted from the front side of the panel. Retaining step portions 33 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B are engaged with the side surfaces of the switches, thereby preventing the pushbutton switches from being pulled out forward of the panel. Further, since the step portions 33 prevent the barriers 31 from being pulled out forward of the panel after they have been inserted, the barriers 31 must be broken when the pushbutton switches are replaced. Therefore, replacement requires much time and labor, and since the barriers 31 cannot be reused, the cost increases accordingly.
In the second type of conventional barrier 32, relatively large projections 34 which engage with pushbutton switches A are provided in order to prevent the switches A from being pulled out forward of the panel, and a relatively large flange 35 is provided in order to prevent the switches A from withdrawing rearward of the panel. Accordingly, it is impossible to insert individually the barrier 32, from the front side of the panel unlike the case of the first type of barrier 31. More specifically, it is necessary to first attach barriers 32 to pushbutton switches A and connect together a necessary number of such pushbutton switches A in one unit and then secure this pushbutton switch assembly to the panel. Therefore, this prior art barrier is quite inefficient.